Gangs of Wasseypur: Music Review

Music Director:Sneha Khanwalkar
Lyricist: Varun grover & Piyush Mishra
Singers:Amit Trivedi, Piyush Mishra,Sneha Khanwalkar,Rekha Jha and Shyamoo
Rating: ****1/2
Anurag Kashyap has been receiving accolades for Gangs of Wasseypur even before the film’s release. Making its debut at the Cannes International Film Festival this year, Gangs of Wasseypur is garnering positive reports and is an eagerly awaited and highly anticipated film.
A great deal has been spoken about the length of the film (5 hours) and Anurag Kashyap has ensured that the album is equally lengthy (15 songs). But all the songs are so delightful, that it makes it hard to find faults with any of the tracks. Sneha Khanwalkar’s music and Varun Grover’s lyrics make this album an instant hit!
Gangs of Wasseypur’s soundtrack opens with Jiya Tu, a fast paced song with a desi, Bhojpuri flavor. The lyrics of the song reflect the theme of the film. Jiya Tu is catchy and modern and at the same time retains its ethnic feel. A great combination of instruments, tune and music!
Next up is Hunter which is an interesting song that fuses Hindi and English lyrics. The background music is amusing and unusual to the soundtrack. The song has a raw feel to it and the singers are not too much in tune but maybe that’s intentionally done. The background sounds are a pleasure to hear. Sneha Khanwalkar makes sure the Bhojpuri feel is retained throughout the song.
O Womaniya is perhaps one the best songs of the album. It grows on instantly. Here, folk meets contemporary and the singers must be applauded for giving the song a raw feel. The lyrics also seem to have been penned very thoughtfully. It’s a non commercial song that will survive because of its freshness. The use of tabla and other desi instruments throughout the song makes it all the more pleasurable!
Keh Ke Lunga is a winner. Piyush Mishra’s lyrics combined with Amit Trivedi and Sneha Khanwalkar’s powerful voice makes this song earthy and hypnotizing. Amit Trivedi has once again proved his mettle with Keh Ke Lunga. Next up on the album is Bhoos which again transcends listeners to Jharkhand. But this song is far from boring. The use of instruments and the modulations and emotions in the voices makes it sound like a song from the 50’s and 60’s era.
Ik Bagal sounds like a song from Rafi and Hemant Kumar’s era. A smooth and soft song that is contrasted with its hard hitting lyrics! It’s almost like a lullaby but one that does not put you to sleep. The song Bhaiyya comes to haunt listeners and seems to tell an important aspect of the film’s story. The music is daunting and the voice echoing in the background throughout gives it a haunting quality.Bhaiyya has some fast paced beats and has more music than lyrics. But that’s good because the lyrics in this one are illegible!
Tain Tain To To has more music and few lyrics. The only line the singer seems to sing through the song is Tain Tain To To. The use of the harmonium and tabla is cleverly done and manages to give the song a contemporary feel. The music is almost strange sounding, like an ambulance or alarm ringing in the background. Soona Kar Ke Gharwa stays so true to the theme, a Bhojpuri folk song that is slow and comforting. Next on the album is Aey Jawanon which has some hard hitting lyrics with inspirational dialogues infused in between. Aey Jawanon is a good attempt at desi rock.
Next up is Womaniya which is similar to O Womaniya and is just as cute. Sneha has done a fabulous job with Manmauji. It’s a desi track that infuses the sounds of the flute and tabla. It’s a song straight out of the 50's and 60's era. Loonga Loonga gets you humming and is a good attempt on Sneha’s part. Humni Ke Chhodi Ke is a folk melody that is dreamy and one which has a story to tell. The use of the harmonica effectively brings out the pain in the singer’s voice which tugs at the heart.
Overall, the music is brilliant and this album deserves all the praises. Anurag Kashyap’s love for music is apparent in this album and it never once disappoints. The album has so many beautiful songs that it makes it hard to choose. However, O Womaniya, Jiya Tu and Manmauji certainly stand out. The music is unconventional and will linger for a long time to come.